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79 Elm Street

Architectural Description:

Italianate with Second Empire tower

Historical Narrative:

This homestead was sited just west of Foster Cir. on Elm St. on the lots now occupied by #81 & #83 Elm St. The rear portion of the home was saved, turned 180 degrees and is now the home at 7 Foster Circle on lot 8. The Foster Acres development was laid out in Dec. 1938 and recorded on March 13, 1940. (Map #1227) The house occupied lots 9, 10, & 8 to the rear. Nineteen house lots were created from the Foster estate and were sold off from 1939 - 1950s.

Moses Foster Jr. was born in the North Parish of Andover on Aug. 29, 1821, son of Moses & Sarah (Baldwin) Foster. Moses became a successful accountant and Cashier of the Andover National Bank from 1856 to his death in 1895. Moses first married on Oct. 24, 1851 to Clara M. Hyde b. 1834 Gilford, VT, daughter of Dana & Lanson C. Hyde. Clara died in 1856.
Moses remarried on Dec. 2, 1858 to Caroline Hall b. May 26, 1834 in Hopkinton, MA, daughter of Rev. Jeffries & Sarah F. (Swift) Hall. Caroline's mother Sarah was the daughter of Dr. Nathaniel & Sarah (Abbott) Swift, prominent Andover family who lived at 35 Central St. Moses and Caroline had four children; Anna Dwight b. June 7, 1860, Edward Reginald b. Nov. 30, 1861, Arthur Hollan b. Aug. 31, 1863 and Herbert Baldwin b. Nov. 12, 1874.

Moses built this home on Elm St. about 1851. He purchased the lot on Feb. 15, 1851 from Amos Abbott. He later acquired a second adjoining parcel of land from Samuel B. Locke on June 3, 1863. Locke had purchased for Amos Abbott in Nov. 14, 1861. Moses Foster died on June 27, 1895, of Apoplexy, at age 73y 9m 29d. He is interred in the family lot at Ridgewood Cemetery in North Andover.

After his death, son Edward Reginald Foster was appointed Cashier of the bank, replacing his father. Widow Caroline would continue to live in the home until her death in 1930. Daughter Anna D. died on Sept.1, 1905 of Diabetes. Son Herbert B. married Honoree Frederique Jenkins b. 1862, daughter of Charles & Mary E. (Murphy) Jenkins. Herbert became a teacher and died in 1906 in Pittsburgh, PA of Typhoid Fever at age 32. Arthur H. married Lehal L. Peters, dau. of Joseph & Julia (Grinnell) Peters. Arthur was a Jeweler and watch maker.

Edward & Arthur would become sole heirs with the death of their mother Caroline in 1930. Edward lived with of his mother in the homestead. Edward died on June 5, 1936 and Arthur would become inherit his brother's share of the property.

The Foster estate was divided into house lots called "Foster Acres" in October 1938, by Howarth J. Peters, Attorney for Arthur H. Foster. Arthur died in 1955.